What kind of being is Satan?

Let’s begin by reading Ezekiel 28:11-15, “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”

It is considered by most, and I think rightly so, that this portion is really addressed to Satan, who was the power behind the king of Tyrus (Tyre). It is quite easy to see that the remarks concerning this king go far beyond what could be true of him. “Thou has been in Eden…” “Thou are the anointed cherub that covereth…” “Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God…” All these refer to someone far greater than the King of Tyre. They point to the one who was greater, who was an “anointed cherub.” A cherub or cherubim, was an angel of special authority. We see in Genesis 3:24 that cherubims were sent to keep men out of the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned. We read in Exodus 37, that golden cherubims were made to sit upon the top of the mercy seat. Verse 9 says, “And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.” So, we see that originally Satan (created as Lucifer) was an angel of high authority. God did not create Satan. He created Lucifer, who fell and become Satan. Isaiah 14:12 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

Although Satan is a created being, an angel, he does have great power. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” He can cause himself to look like one who bears light, but the Lord Jesus said of him in John 8:44, “…there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” He is fierce. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us that, “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” He is called “the god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4. He is called “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” in Ephesians 2:2.

Yet, for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we are told in 1 John 2:3, …ye have overcome the wicked one.” Satan has plans to dishonor the Lord. He will often use unsuspecting believers to do just that. He will lure them into lives of sin. He has plans, but when we walk with the Lord, we find that “we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11) We know how to defeat him in a practical sense. James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Put yourself in the Lord’s hands, resist the devil, and he will runway from you. BUT, you must first, and most importantly, “SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD.”

We do not need to fear Satan, but we are wise to respect his power. Even Michael the Archangel knew of Satan’s power. Jude 9 says, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” We can defeat Satan and overcome his temptations through the Lord Jesus. 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” The One who is in us is Christ. The one who is in the world is Satan. Christ is certainly much greater than Satan. In Christ’s strength, we are victorious over our adversary, the devil. (227.2)